Mr.Pelton and His Five Children

Carnival Games

"Come on let's go!" Maggie called out from the front door. 

Her siblings rushed down the stairs. George was carrying Margot and the twins ran past him and out the door.

They were all ready and dressed hours before they were supposed to leave for the carnival that their papa promised to take them to. The carnival was going to stay in town for only three days and one day has already passed.

"Papa walk faster! You're being very slow!" Sam had the window rolled down and his head was poked out the side of the car, calling for his father that was making his way slowly over to them with that ever prominent limp and cane in hand.

He laughed at all their excitement and made his way to the passenger side.

"Is everybody ready to go?" He looked back at them, their faces were all lit up.

"We're waiting on Ms.Annabel." George said.

"Mama said she's not coming." Sam spoke up.

Everyone turned to look at him and Richard drew in a sharp breath.

"She's not mama." Maggie said, glaring at him.

"Call her Ms.Annabel." George shifted Margot on his lap and rested his head on the window, feeling uncomfortable.

Richard cleared his throat and shifted in his seat.

"Why isn't she coming?" He asked and ignored the look the driver was giving him. He could't yet drive with his leg still being bad.

"Really? That's all you have to say? You're not even going to correct him?" Maggie's cheeks grew red in anger. "Our mama is dead. There is no other mama." 

She climbed over the twins, opened the door and rushed back into the house shouting over her shoulders for them to go on without her.

"We'll wait. She'll calm down and come back." Richard  leaned his head back and sighed. "You kids can go play on the grass until she gets back."

"Hey, I was just about to rush out and hand you guys this basket of sweets Samantha made." Annabel said when she saw Maggie rushing in.

"You're a liar!" Maggie screamed at her and ran up the stairs with tears running down her face.

A hurt expression made its way on Annabel's face and she looked out through the open front door of the house to see what was happening.

Her and Richard held eye contact for a few seconds before she hurried after Maggie. 

"Gigi?" She softly knocked on her bedroom door and opened it, immediately ducking at a pillow being hurled at her head. "I understand you're upset about something, but that wasn't very nice."

She picked up the pillow and went over to the couch the girl was sitting on.

"What have I done to make you feel like I'm a liar?"

She didn't answer her.

"I won't know what I've done wrong if you don't tell me."

She still didn't answer her.

"Look, I'm sorry for whatever you think it is I lied about, but I probably didn't. I'm not one to lie and you know that."

"But you would lie about wanting to replace our mother."

"And why would I do that?"

"So you could get father to fall in love with you and steal his money. You don't even love us and you never really cared about us!" Maggie turned her body away from Annabel and sniffled. She wasn't about to lie to herself and say that she didn't wish Annabel was different than the other governesses that came to look after them, because she did. She hated having people look after them without actually wanting to. Although, she knows she's overreacting.